


Standing Inside An Empty Barroom with the Future In My Hands

by summerbutterfly



Category: Saiyuki, Saiyuki Gaiden
Genre: Alternate Canon, Alternate Reality, Canon Related, Community: yuletide_smut, Drinking to Cope, Heavy Drinking, Implied Relationships, M/M, Swearing, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-20 12:38:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6006376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/summerbutterfly/pseuds/summerbutterfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A double sutra activation causes a rift in time that allows Gojyo and Kenren to meet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Standing Inside An Empty Barroom with the Future In My Hands

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Caeseria](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caeseria/gifts).



> Written for the 2015 Saiyuki Yuletide Smut Exchange. I'm embarrassed it took me this long to upload this, as well as to thank everyone for the wonderful comments over on DW. I'm so sorry I didn't respond sooner, but I really appreciate all the feedback and love. Also, a special thanks to my beta who, as always, did a great job. Any remaining mistakes are 100% mine.

Gojyo knew the instant he opened his eyes that something was wrong. The air, for one thing, reeked of blood, and there was this strange, stutter-y quality to the light that made him feel as if he was moving in slow motion. And then, of course, there was the crumpled, mangled body in the corner. Not good. And not comforting at all to realize he had no idea who it was, never mind where they were. 

"You shouldn't be here," the mangled heap said. 

Gojyo raised an eyebrow, surprised that someone in such a state could still talk. 

"You need go while you can," it continued. "There's a ladder to the left. It should take you back up to the main levels."

"Main levels of what?" Gojyo asked.

"The Palace."

"What palace?"

"The Jade Emperor's." 

"Jade Emperor?"

"Yep. Unless there is another palace in heaven I don't know about." The heap coughed, a deep, wet, rattly sound. "What's wrong? Not what you expected?"

"Can't say I had any expectations," Gojyo said. "Especially since I don't even know how I got here. Am I dead?"

"Not yet," his companion said. "But you will be if it comes back."

"If what comes back?" 

"The kind of thing that nightmares are made of, my friend. That's all you need to know." 

The heap pushed itself to a sitting position, and Gojyo got his first look at what he was actually dealing with. There was certainly a lot of blood (which explained the smell), but underneath the blood and...whatever the black stuff was pooled around his legs...was a man with dark hair dressed in some sort of uniform. 

"You're not leaving," he said. 

"If I leave, you're gonna die," Gojyo noted. 

"We'll both die if you stay here. Scram." 

"No," Goyjo said. "I don't leave people behind." 

"You don't even _know_ me."

"So?" Gojyo got to his feet. "If I used knowing people as criteria for saving lives, I'd..."

Without warning, the earth below them shook. Gojyo braced himself against the wall, but before he could get his footing, the floor gave way. 

Gojyo fell. 

=============

When he opened his eyes again, the heaven-room was gone. In its place was a desolate looking forest filled with dark and twisted trees. 

"Where the hell is this?" a familiar voice asked. 

Gojyo looked over. It was the man from the room-- still bloody, and still kind of crumpled, but just as much alive as Gojyo was, if considerably worse for the wear.

"Dunno," Gojyo said. "Not-heaven, I'm assuming?"

"You'd think so," his companion agreed. "Though who knows really. The Jade Emperor is a shady bastard, so he could be growing dead trees in the basement for all I know. However, If you want my honest opinion, it looks like we've slipped through one of the gates to the Lower World." 

"How did we do that?"

"No idea. But you did sort of show up in the middle of a rebellion. So who knows what kind of heavenly magic was running amok."

"Magic..." Gojyo grit his teeth. "Aw, fuck. Of _course_. Why didn't I think of that?"

The half-dead corpse cocked his head. "Think of what?" 

"Magic. I just realized that I was around some mucked-up magic, too. Two Sanzos. With scriptures. Causing all kinds of shit to go nuts." 

"What's a sanzo?"

"A sanzo is a monk. A powerful one," Gojyo said. "Do you not have sanzos in heaven?"

"Not that I know of. But if we do, they don't go by that title."

Gojyo could not supress his chuckle. "So his holiness isn't as holy as he thinks he is. If only he were here...that'd take him down a few pegs."

"Asshole?" his companion asked.

"Of the worst caliber," Gojyo confirmed.

Gojyo pushed himself to his feet and walked over. Up close, the injured man looked even worse than he'd expected. His wounds were deep. And gory. Almost as bad as that one time he'd had to stuff Hakkai's guts back into his stomach.

Almost.

"You're pretty banged up," Gojyo said. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Oh, you know. Government corruption, army of heretical abominations, disciplinary action by my superior. Nothing big."

"Wow. Heaven sure sounds like a nice place."

"Doesn't it? Be glad you're living. It sucks being kami." 

"Did you miss the part where I mentioned the living world has sanzos?" 

His companion snickered. "After my day today, I'd think I'd rather take my chances with your sanzos."

"You say that because you don't know them." Gojyo knelt down and took off his shirt. "The one I've been traveling with is a gunslinging, shit-talking, chain-smoker with a permanent scowl, and the one we met up with recently reminds me of Kanzeon Bosatsu, but without the mercy."

His companion raised an eyebrow as Gojyo started ripping his shirt into strips. "There's very little about the Merciful Goddess that's merciful. You know that, right?" 

"Oh, I know. But at least Kanzeon will pretend. Sharak just doesn't even try." Gojyo laid the cotton strips across his knee. "Give me your arm."

"What are you doing?"

"Patching you up."

"You some sort of doctor?"

"No. Just good at putting broken things back together."

"Hm." The man held out his arm. "Well, what choice do I have, I suppose. I'm Kenren, by the way. I don't think we ever got to that part before we wound up here."

"Gojyo," Gojyo said. 

"It's a pleasure, Gojyo," Kenren said. "Or I guess it would be if I didn't feel so much like I've been ejected from the gut of a dragon."

"Well, I can't do anything about that, but I can dress your wounds. Which should hold you together until we get out of here."

"Any idea when that might be?"

Gojyo shook his head, knotting the bandage over Kenren's forearm. "None," he admitted. "None at all."

=============

There were two more 'shifts' before Gojyo managed to get Kenren fully bandaged. One dropped them on the bank of a river (helpful for cleaning out some of the deeper cuts on Kenren's forehead), the next dropped them in an abandoned town that was so startlingly familiar, Gojyo actually balked.

"This is...Chang'an," Gojyo said quietly. 

"How do you know?" Kenren asked.

"Because I used to live around here. Before we left for India."

Kenren squinted at the desolate landscape. "Has it always been this empty?"

"No," Gojyo said. "But I wonder if it has something to do with the weird magic. Like we're in some sort of parallel Chang'an, and not Chang'an proper."

"Does parallel Chang'an have cigarettes? Because I could _really_ use one right now."

"Let's see," Gojyo said. "And while we're at it, let's see if we can't round up some booze" 

He helped Kenren to his feet. Together, they stumbled down the deserted street, trying the doors of the various stores and inns that lined either side. Most of them were unlocked, but devoid of anything but cobwebs until they reached one of the bars Gojyo used to frequent. There, they found the mother load--- smokes, booze, and even a stash food in the back pantry.

"If they warp us out of here before I'm no longer sober, I will _never_ forgive them," Gojyo said, pulling bottles out from under the counter. "You want a drink?"

Kenren, puffing happily on a cigarette at a nearby table, nodded. "Make it strong," he said. "As strong as you can."

"You got it."

Gojyo laid out two pint glasses. Into them he poured some premium sake and plum wine, draining half of each bottle in the process. When he brought the glasses over to the table, Kenren laughed.

"You really are a man after my own heart," he said. "This is perfect."

"We deserve it for being subjected to the shitty whims of shitty monks and emperors."

"To shitty monks and emperors." Kenren raised his glass. "May they get a taste of their own sooner rather than later." 

"To shitty monks and emperors," Gojyo echoed. 

They clinked pints and drank deeply.

Kenren sighed as he set is glass back on the table. "Much better," he said. "Now maybe I can forget that I got the shit kicked out of me. At least for a little while."

"This is Old Bo's place," Gojyo said, gesturing to the bar. "He lived upstairs if you wanna go rest. Pretty sure he's not here, or he would have shot us by now for taking his top-shelf liquor."

"Rest sounds nice, but I gotta be honest. I'm not sure I can mange stairs. As much as it pains me to say it, I might need your help."

"Eh, no worries. I should probably stick close by you anyway in case we get warped again."

"Gojyo, you know I'm really not your responsibility..."

"So?" Gojyo stood and handed Kenren his pint glass. "We got into this together, we get out of it together. Now carry my drink while I carry you."

Kenren snorted derisively, but let Gojyo drape his arm over his shoulders again and brace his other arm around Kenren's waist. Kenren held tight to the pints as they slowly shuffled across the floor, making their way to the short flight of stairs that lead to the bartender's living space. 

"Let me bring the alcohol up first, then I'll come get you," Gojyo said. "Okay?"

"Good man. Prioritize what's important." Kenren handed him the glasses. "Grab the rest of the bottles while your at it. I still know my own name, which is unacceptable."

Gojyo snickered as he set Kenren down against the bannister. It only took him a second to run the alcohol up the stairs, but he was delayed in his return when he realized that the bed was devoid of sheets. He found some in a linen chest, and made it up while Kenren waited.

Kenren didn't seem to mind the extra few minutes.

"So," Gojyo grunted as he helped Kenren back to his feet. "The last time I rescued an injured stranger, I said it would be the first and last time I ever took a man to bed. Guess that was wishful thinking, huh?"

"This is a habit of yours?" Kenren smiled despite the obvious effort it took him to keep himself upright. "Picking up lost causes?"

"I told you, I'm good at putting things back together."

"That can't be the only thing your good at."

"It's the only thing I'm good at worth noting." 

They made it up the stairs. Gojyo took as much care as he could setting Kenren down on the bed and helping the other man finally remove the heavy jacket he'd been wearing the whole time. Underneath, he was crisscrossed with more shallow cuts, and Gojyo immediately set about trying to find a basin and a sponge to wash away the dried blood.

Kenren picked up his drink. "You can leave those," he said, indicating the cuts. "They don't hurt much, and you'll get behind on your drinking if you waste more time on me."

"You sure?" Gojyo asked.

"I'm sure." Kenren patted the mattress beside him. "I'll bathe myself later. You've done enough. Come sit and get hammered with me."

"No qualms about having other men in _your_ bed, I see." 

"Nope." Kenren smiled softly. "My current partner is a man. So I quite like having men in my bed these days." 

Intrigued, Gojyo sat down, picking his pint glass up from where he'd placed it on the bedside table. "A guy, huh? How'd you meet him?"

"He's my superior officer. I'm a general in heaven's Western Army. He's my Field Marshal."

"Isn't fucking your superior against the rules?"

Kenren shrugged. "Probably, but I don't care. Rules are confining. And an eternity is a long time to spend feeling confined." 

Gojyo sipped his drink. "That's true," he said. "But an eternity would be also be a long time to limit yourself to just one thing." 

"Oh don't worry. I'm not doing _that_." Kenren's smile was a little bit lewd. "Tenpou doesn't really have limits, so we experiment. A lot."

"Oh yeah?"

" _Oh_ yeah. Have you ever fucked someone with a sex drive as high as yours? It's fucking amazing. There are nights I can barely pick myself up because we've gone at it so hard." 

"Nice," Gojyo said. "I'm almost jealous. I can't remember the last time I had good sex. Hell, these days I'm having a hard time remembering the last time I had sex, period."

"That's terrible, man." 

"Innit? All this, going to waste." Gojyo sighed. "Makes me wanna drink more."

"Ahhh, now that?" Reaching over, Kenren grabbed the plum wine. "That is not terrible. That is a _great_ idea. Let's drink to getting laid in the near future."

"To getting laid in the near future," Gojyo echoed. He held up his glass as Kenren poured, and they sipped as they lapsed into companionable silence. 

Outside, the shadows lengthened, and the sky turned amber. 

=========

Gojyo awoke hours later to the feeling of the floor shaking. Caught off-guard, he sat up too quickly and spilled the dregs of his plum wine all over the sheets. 

"Gods dammit," he cursed. "Now we have to fight over who sleeps in the wet spot!"

Kenren laughed as he flung his arm over his eyes. "I think you might have been right about sanzos," he said. "They might be worse than anything we have in heaven."

"Told you. Not only do they mess shit up, they cause all kinds of fucking..."

The floor shook again. Fragments of plaster rained down from the ceiling and, unconsciously, Gojyo curled his fingers around Kenren's wrist. He really hoped they weren't about to get zapped again, but if they were, he was determined to keep Kenren by his side. 

And then, _She_ walked in.

"There you are." Kanzeon Bosatsu folded her arms and leaned against the door frame, the faint hint of a smile playing across her lips. "And oh look, it's both of you. How convenient. That saves me some time." 

Gojyo's eyes narrowed. "You," he said. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Cleaning up the mess, love. As I am known to do." Kanzeon tossed her hair, jangling her golden earrings. "And boy is this a hell of a mess." 

Gojyo snorted. "You say that so casually. Were you expecting this?"

"This? No. But something...yes." Her violet eyes fell to the man next to him. "Hello, Kenren. You look terrible."

"You say the sweetest things, Your Mercifulness." Kenren waved Kanzeon's direction. "But you always were one of the most honest deities I knew. Can I get you a drink? I think we still have something left."

"No, thanks, can't stay. Now that I know what I'm dealing with, I have some serious work to do. Your friends really screwed the pooch with this double sutra activation."

"We've noticed," Gojyo muttered. 

"I'm sure you have," Kanzeon agreed. "But it's actually worse than you think it is, Red. And I'm pretty sure you're going to like me even less when it's all over, but such is life." 

Gojyo straightened. "What do you mean? Is someone else hurt? Is someone going to die?"

"No, no. Everyone is fine. But that's part of the problem." The goddess's eyes took on an uncharacteristic softness. "You don't know who he is, do you?"

"Who who is?"

"Kenren." 

"Sure I do! He's...he's..." Gojyo stopped, realizing he didn't actually know anything about the man beyond the little that Kenren had told him. "He's hurt and I'm helping him," Gojyo said. "That's all that matters."

"Oh, Red," Kanzeon sighed. "You never could resist a damsel in distress, could you?"

"Watch it," Kenren warned. "I may be distressed, but I'm no damsel."

"Right, right, sorry. I forget sometimes not everyone walks both sides of the spectrum like I do." Kanzeon tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Anyway, my point is, this is way more complicated than you realize."

"And why is that?" Gojyo asked.

"Because he's you," Kanzeon replied. "Meet your previous incarnation, Sha Gojyo. Kenren Taisho, General of Heaven's Western Army." 

=========

"You're me," Gojyo murmured. It was much, much later. Kanzeon had gone with strict instructions for them not to move, so it was just him and Kenren and their depleted alcohol supply facing each other on the bed. "You're _actually_ me. This is so messed up, I don't even know what to say." 

"Meh," Kenren said. "I'm just happy I came back handsome. It would be a bummer if reincarnation decided to shaft me in the looks department." 

"Hey, be a little bit serious, would you? I appreciate the compliment but if we're the same person..."

"It means we can't actually exist in the same place at the same time, I know." Kenren raised his head, tucking his hand underneath his chin. "And I'm sorry that that fucks with you. I guess it would, being born mortal and all."

"It doesn't fuck with you?" Gojyo asked. "It doesn't mess you up knowing one of us isn't getting out of this alive?"

"Not really," Kenren said. "I mean, it's this or eternity. Might as well go into the next life fighting."

"Won't you...heal, though? You're a god. How can a god..."

"Gojyo," Kenren interrupted. "You and I both know I'm on my way out. In fact, I'd probably be dead already if this weird rift-thing hadn't happened. That monster broke something inside me. But it's okay. I made my choice. I knew my time was up going in."

Gojyo rolled onto his back. "You're an idiot," he growled. "A fucking drunk-ass idiot."

Kenren laughed. "If I'm a drunk-ass idiot, that means you're a drunk-ass idiot, too."

"Shut up. You're making sense. Stop making sense!"

"If I'm making sense, you're making sense..."

Gojyo groaned and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes. "I need more booze. I can't deal with any of this sober."

"The Merciful Goddess said we weren't supposed to move." 

"If she didn't want us to move, she should have brought the bar up here." Gojyo got unsteadily to his feet. "I'll be right back. You want anything?"

"I'll have whatever you're having."

"K." Gojyo staggered over to the door. He opened it, and went to step out only to find himself right back next to the bed.

"The fuck?" he muttered. He walked over to the door and tried it again. 

He was thwarted once more.

"The fuck?" he repeated, louder this time. "Now we can't even get out of this _room_?"

"That's just cold," Kenren said. 

"No shit it's cold! We're about to run out of booze and I can't get any more." Gojyo threw himself dramatically back down. "Not only that, I have to watch you die. This fucking _sucks_."

"Gojyo, I'm not dead yet." Kenren fixed him with a look. "Don't bury me before I stop breathing, okay?"

"Sorry. I'm just..."

"Fucked up, I know." Kenren rolled over and put his chin on his forearm. "And I am honestly sorry about that. But logically, there really is nothing we can do."

"No. I don't buy that. I don't believe there isn't some way you can stick around and I can still go back."

"If I'm you, how is that even going to work? If we split our life force, we'll both be nothing but walking ghosts."

"And how is that any different from how I live now?" Gojyo quipped.

Kenren was silent. And then he appeared in Gojyo's face--up close, personal, and...yep...very much straddling him with his legs on either side of Gojyo's hips. 

"I refuse to believe that." Kenren's breath smelled sweet, like wine. "I refuse to believe you have absolutely nothing to live for. That's bullshit."

"Oh yeah?" Gojyo said. "And what do you know? You get to be a god. I get to be a half-breed abomination stuck in the back of a jeep that turns into a dragon, with a psycho, a monk, and a monkey for company. I spend half of my days battling monsters, and the other half recovering from battling monsters and-or watching weaker people die as a result of said monsters. How is that the existence of a full-fledged living being?"

"Because that's what living _is_ , you whiney brat. It's dealing with all that shit, and experiencing things, and knowing the only constant is change. Your problem isn't a shitty life, it's a shitty attitude. And did you say a jeep that turns into a _dragon_?"

"Don't lecture me and then change the subject, dumbass." 

"Sorry, but I have to because I feel like that's important." 

Gojyo rolled his eyes. "Fine. Yes. I said a jeep that turns into a dragon."

"What kind of dragon?"

"I dunno...he's little and white and emotionally attached to my best friend, why?"

Kenren sat back. He shook his head, and laughed, almost in disbelief. "I suppose that makes sense," he said. "I mean, if I came back, the rest of them must have, too, I just never thought..."

Gojyo raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to imply that you think you know our _car_?"

"The commander of the western army was Gojun, Dragon King of the Western Seas." Kenren shook his head again. "When I last saw him, he was alive, but it's possible..."

"Oh my god, I'm putting my ass on your commander. How does this keep getting more bizarre?" 

"Hey, I didn't say it was him, I just said the dragon thing was a little suspect." Kenren lowered himself down so that he was flush against Gojyo's body. "You're warm, by the way." 

"Are you always this random? Or is this the alcohol talking?"

"I'm not as think as you drunk I am." Kenren smiled and folded his arms on Gojyo's chest. "Actually, I'm totally as drunk as you think I am, but you're still warm. Mind if I cuddle?"

"Shouldn't you have asked that before you got on top of me?" 

"Mmm. Maybe. But why ask myself to cuddle myself?" 

Gojyo pushed Kenren's shoulder. Kenren kicked his ankle, but otherwise didn't move. Gojyo sighed heavily, but there was no malice in it. The truth was, he liked the contact. It was comforting in a strange way. 

And right now, Gojyo needed a little bit of comfort.

"When do you think the Goddess will be back?" he murmured. His hand rested in Kenren's spiky hair.

"Dunno," Kenren murmured back. "Hopefully before we get sober?"

"Yeah." Gojyo let his fingers tangle in the dark strands. "Hopefully. And hopefully neither of us will feel a thing when she takes us our separate ways." 

"Under the circumstances, I think it's okay to ask her for a rare act of mercy. Have you wake up, not remember anything. Have me quietly fade until I'm just part of your subconscious..."

"If she does that, at least I'll know where all my bad ideas originate from." 

"Heh. Like you don't think up bad ideas on your own, oh Savior of Random Strangers." 

Gojyo tucked his arm behind his head as Kenren made himself more comfortable. ""Nothing about saving either of you was a bad idea. In fact, I'm kind of glad I got to meet you. You're pretty...decent."

"Thanks," Kenren said. "You're pretty decent, too."

=========

The sound of someone calling his name was what woke him the second time. Grudgingly, Gojyo opened his eyes to find the room filled with blindingly bright light.

"Gojyo! Gojyo!" Gojyo turned his head. A blurry, brown image was barely visible in the glare, but the voice was familiar. "Hey, Gojyo! C'mon, we gotta go. The Merciful Goddess says we're almost out of time." 

"Goku?" Gojyo struggled to sit up, forgetting Kenren was still on top of him. "Fuck. Damn cuddly past lives. Goku, is that you?"

"Yeah." The brown blur became clearer, and Gojyo could make out Goku's beaming smile. "Kanzeon said I had to come get you. She's having some trouble extracting Sanzo and Hakkai and was afraid she wouldn't make it back before the rift closed again, so she sent me."

"Oh." Gojyo yawned and nudged Kenren. "Hey. You. My ride's here. Time to get up." 

Kenren muttered something, but didn't open his eyes.

Gojyo nudged him again. "The mattress must return to his former life, General. Wakey wakey."

Kenren groaned. "Not so loud," he grumbled. He rolled to the side, flopping down onto the actual mattress as he rubbed the the sleep from his eyes with a fist. "First rule of waking up after all night drinking is _no yelling_. Second, Kanzeon can..." 

Kenren suddenly sat up so fast, he actually kneed Gojyo in the ribs.

"Ow," Gojyo growled, but Kenren wasn't paying him any attention. His gaze was locked on Goku, and there was something almost akin to shock on his face. 

"Oh. Hey there," Goku said. Ever amicable, he didn't seem the least bit bothered by the tableaux of two shirtless men on one small bed. "You must be the other Gojyo. I'm guessing because you guys don't look all that much alike. The other Sanzo and the other Hakkai look really similar so it was easier to tell." 

"Yeah, hi, I'm Kenren," Kenren said slowly. "I...you....Did you say your name was Goku?"

"Yup." Goku grinned. "And I'm the only one that didn't end up with two of me. Isn't that weird?"

"No," Gojyo said. "Not even the universe would want two monkeys around. It makes perfect sense to me."

"Shut up, Cockroach. I wanted to meet my past life, too. But it's okay I guess. Are you ready?"

"Yeah, just...gimme us a second, okay?"

"K."

Goku disappeared into the light. Gojyo looked at Kenren who looked away, eyes shinier than they should have been.

"Hey," Gojyo said. He grabbed Kenren's arm. "Kenren...what is it?"

"Nothing, just...feeling emotional."

Gojyo felt his heart constrict in his chest. "Fuck, man, don't do that. There's still time. You can come with me and we can see if we can't figure this out..."

"It's not about dying." Kenren blinked rapidly and looked away. "I'm ready to go I just..." He looked back. "I want you to promise me something."

"What's that?" Gojyo asked.

"Keep looking after that kid. I know he's not that much of a kid any more, but protect him for me. Okay?"

"Sure, but Goku is definitely capable of taking care of himself. He's actually..."

"The Seiten Taisei, I know." Kenren chuckled at Gojyo's surprise. "Don't look at me like that. I'm a god, remember? I recognize other gods when I see them. My point is that just because Goku is physically strong, it doesn't mean he doesn't need a solid support system around him. There's...there's nothing scarier than the feeling of being alone."

Gojyo was quiet for a long moment. Then, at last, he sighed. "All right," he said. "Since you won't come with me, I'll promise to look after the monkey for you." 

"Thanks," Kenren said. "You're good people. Now get the hell out of here before I don't have a new life to look forward to." 

"Yeah, yeah." Gojyo let go. He stood up, feeling, for the first time, how warm the light was. It made him want to step toward it, to go to Goku. To return to where he'd come from and see his crazy friends again...maybe slap Sanzo upside the head for causing this whole shitstorm. That would be satisfying, if nothing else. And then there was Hakkai...

With one last backward glance, Gojyo smiled at Kenren.

"See you later, Kenren," he said. "It was nice meeting you."

"You too, Sha Gojyo." Kenren raised his hand in a good-bye wave. "See ya."


End file.
